Wannabee
oenophiles have a wide range of options in greater Milwaukee when it
comes to informative wine classes and seminars, tastings and free or
low-cost opportunities to drop in and sample. In addition, there is a
steady stream of vintner visits to area restaurants hosting
multiple-course wine and food pairings.

To expand your knowledge and sample some outstanding wines, check
out the following:

General Manager Brendan Moore may be the only Wisconsinite who is
both a second-level sommelier accredited by the Court of Master
Sommeliers and a certified sommelier from the Society of Wine
Educators. Capitalizing on the success of last September’s
five-course dinner prepared by chef Clarence Grice and paired with
Seghesio wines, Fratello’s held two other events earlier in the
year, including a Wine Maker’s Dinner. Check its Web site for
upcoming event information.

Grapes & Grain11301 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon
(262) 240-0206

Grapes & Grain wine director Rob Bunelli and the store’s
tasting room director Kamryn Boelk have assembled a powerful package
of events, holding a free tasting from 1-4 p.m. each Saturday and two
themed tasting events weekly. The latter events, costing from $15 to
$30, are held at 7 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. The store features
a Vin Grin Wine Club in which members get a red and white vintage each
month, with extensive details about the vintner, the winery’s
production process and possible food pairings. In addition, Grapes
& Grain offers one of the area’s only walk-in cigar humidor. It
also has online newsletters for its devoted wine drinkers.

A student of wine for more than a decade, Jessica Bell founded her
Milwaukee Wine School in 2007 to provide "high-quality and
unbiased wine education." She partners with retail outlets,
restaurants and culinary schools for introductory classes on wine
tasting as well as wine and spirit education programs. Bell also
offers classes on the fundamentals of food and wine pairings. Most of
her classes are held at Milwaukee’s Bacchus or Chicago’s Le Cordon
Bleu Culinary School in downtown Chicago.

Riversite Restaurant11120 N. Cedarburg Road, Mequon
(262) 242-6050

If a measure of success for a wine program is counted in years,
Riversite has uncorked a winner. Since 1992, the restaurant has hosted
meals and wine pairings. For the past four years, the dinners have
sold out, averaging 110 persons a seating, according to new owner
Corey Schultz who took over from longtime owner Jim Marks last
November. Every third Monday of the month, beginning at 7 p.m., guests
can sample chef Tom Peschong’s culinary delights, along with four to
six wines from a featured winery. A wine representative is usually on
hand to explain the vintages, and the cost is typically $80-$95 for
the event.

Trocadero1758 N. Water St., Milwaukee
(414) 272-0205

For about two years, Trocadero has hosted its weekly Wine Lovers
Wednesday, which features two to three reds and an equal number of
white vintages that can be served by glass with a cheese plate or with
a menu order. The staff can suggest pairings, says manager Whitney
Stalker, who coordinates the program. Often, a wine vender is on hand
to discuss the varieties. The emphasis is on French wines, according
to Stalker, showcasing such labels as Jolivet and Pierre Chanier. The
"evening" is informal, in a casual meal setting rather than
in a class. Even lunchtime diners can sample the selections if they
wish. Bottles can be purchased as well. Cheese and wine flights are
also available. The Troc opens at 11 a.m., with the last meal servings
at 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and at midnight on Friday and
Saturday.

Thief Wine proprietor Phil Bilodeau offers themed tastings three to
four times per month. The tastings require a reservation and offer
samples of four to six wines, with informative hand-outs and a brief
talk about each. Participants will learn important information about
the grape varietals, the regions and what makes each wine so
distinctive. The cost is generally $15-$20. In addition, Thief offers
well-priced wines during its weekday happy hour. For example, on
Wednesdays, Thief serves a 15 percent off all flights. On Fridays, one
red and one white cost just $4 a glass.

Vino 100’s mission is "to provide a fun and memorable wine
experience for all wine lovers," says co-owner Melissa Perrigoue.
That entails store tastings, monthly cooking demos, a wine club and a
five-part wine education series held several times a year. The store
even groups wines by flavor profile, so novices as well as more
experienced imbibers can learn about wine varietal and ideal food
pairings. The facility also hosts bachelorette parties, bridal showers
and similar activities that feature tastings and background sessions
on wine and winemakers. Contact Vino 100’s Grafton and Wauwatosa
locations for specific information on wine tastings at those
locations.

Wine Cellar12910 W. Bluemound Road, Elm Grove
(262) 754-9463

The Wine Cellar presents a hefty schedule of structured sessions,
beginning at 7:15 p.m. on posted nights. During the $5 Fun Fridays,
from 4 to 8 p.m., samples or a dozen or so wines from around the world
are offered. Occasionally, the Wine Cellar organizes a pairing, with
foods prepared by Catering by Bryant (Johnson). The store recently
launched "Wisconsin’s Best Wine Club" and will be hosting
a "Summer Sip" on Aug. 15, featuring at least 50 different
wines from around the world. The shop is located in Elm Grove’s
Autumn Grove Plaza, across from Bluemound Bowl. Private, in-store
tastings can also be arranged for up to 20 people, making for
interestingly different party possibilities. "Reading, tasting
and being curious" are the primary components in the wine
education process," says Joel Freeborn, who opened the shop in
2006 with his wife, Gail. "There is so much about wine: politics,
geography, history. And it tastes good, too," he adds.

Waterford Wine Co.1327 E. Brady St., Milwaukee
(414) 289-WINE (9463)

Waterford owner Ben Christiansen is passionate about wine; he loves
to impart his extensive wine knowledge at his monthly Wednesday night
classes. He also gets into depth with subjects such as "Beyond
Organic — Biodynamic; but is it just hogwash?" or "The
Heady Power of Amarone — one of Italy’s least understood
wines." Whatever the subject, nine wines with a price from $28 to
$150 per bottle are tasted and discussed. The cost to attend a tasting
is typically $15 a head.

For good reason, "Wine Enthusiast" magazine named Whole
Foods as its 2007 Wine Retailer of the Year. The user-friendly
Enomatic wine system is the easiest way to sample labels on one’s
own. Accompanying material describes the wines and indicates
appropriate food partners. This sip ’n shop open container process,
in which patrons can roam the aisles with their glasses, is naturally
popular. The store hosts a Top 10 Wines Program and Vine Buys to help
in wine selections, combining tastings with purchasing opportunities.
Whole Foods has a team concept for its staff, spreading pairing
knowledge over several fields, such as wine/beer/cheese/coffee in one
department. The store also has posted in-house calendars and online
information telling of wine classes, and is planning on restarting
Friday night wine tastings soon.